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Tuesday, 25 May 2010

Campaign Targets Drivers on the Phone

By Sunil Patel

Motorists using mobile phones whilst driving have been targeted by a new campaign launched in the East Midlands.

Rutland Police will be working in partnership with Rutland County Council and the Safer Rutland Partnership to catch offenders between the towns, villages and rural roads in the county

Drivers breaking the law will be pulled over and given an on the spot £60 fixed penalty fine along with three points on their license.

They will also be given a credit card size disc containing a short video warning of the dangers of using a mobile phone when driving.

Sergeant Lee Morris, from Rutland police, says the campaign is designed to stop and educate motorists that it is not acceptable to talk on a mobile phone when driving.

He said, “Driving while talking on a mobile phone is dangerous because it is so distracting.

“The biggest problem is that your concentration is impaired, and that could result in crashing and hurting somebody else, or worst of all killing somebody.”

Dedicated police patrols will take place from Monday May 24 and run until Friday May 28.

According to Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), phone-using drivers are four times more likely to crash.

Recent TRL research showed when writing a text message drivers were found to have 35 per cent slower reaction times.

And the study confirmed that a texting motorist may pose a greater accident risk than when at the legal limit of alcohol consumption or under the influence of cannabis.

The campaign is another police backed initiative aimed at reducing the nMotorists using mobile phones whilst driving have been targeted by a new campaign launched in the East Midlands.

Rutland Police will be working in partnership with Rutland County Council and the Safer Rutland Partnership to catch offenders between the towns, villages and rural roads in the county

Drivers breaking the law will be pulled over and given an on the spot £60 fixed penalty fine along with three points on their license.

They will also be given a credit card size disc containing a short video warning of the dangers of using a mobile phone when driving.

The campaign is designed to stop and educate motorists that it is not acceptable to talk on a mobile phone when driving, according to Sergeant Lee Morris, Rutland Police.

He said: “Driving while talking on a mobile phone is dangerous because it is so distracting.

“The biggest problem is that your concentration is impaired, and that could result in crashing and hurting somebody else, or worst of all killing somebody.”

Dedicated police patrols will take place on Monday, May 24 and run until Friday, May 28.

According to Transport Research Laboratory (TRL), phone-using drivers are four times more likely to crash.

Recent TRL research showed drivers were found to 35 per cent slower reaction times if they were writing a text message.

And the study confirmed a texting motorists may pose a greater accident risk than the driver is at the legal limit of alcohol consumption or under the influence of cannabis.

The campaign is another police backed initiative aimed at reducing the number of road traffic accidents in Rutland.

Chair of the Safer Rutland Partnership, Councillor Barrie Roper, said: “Ideally motorists should turn their phones off whilst they are in the car, pull over and switch their engines off whilst taking the call.

“I hope this campaign will raise awareness of these dangers and stop people from using their mobile phones on the road.”

Photograph from http://www.mobilephonereviews.org/umber of road traffic accidents in Rutland.